OK with the groveling for Summit out of the way, lets get to the ride!

Ride Report

I was thinking of starting this ride early to beat the heat and be home in time for the noon Mass. Happily, Michael stopped by for dinner and to watch the ASU football game last night, so it was football, pizza, wings, and staying up with Mike, bag the early start! Since Mike is serving at the 7 pm Mass at the Newman Center, there was no need to get going early (cue the ominous background music), I would grab that Mass!

I woke at 0517, made some coffee, and was on the bike at 0543. It was already 80 something, but with the light blazing into the predawn darkness it was time to start. It was calm making progress through through Tempe, and Mesa. As the sun came up, so did the wind. Reached the 202 on Brown road about an hour into the ride, it was really blowing strong from the northeast.

A quick bottle fill at the Chevron at Ellsworth road and it was back into the wind.

The Elks Lodge in Apache Junction

Turning onto the Apache Trail, the wind was right on the nose and strong. The Elks Lodge was a good spot to grab a photo of the flag in the wind. The parking lot was clear, so being downwind, if there were any Elks to be found, they would not be warned, but alas the parking lot was empty!

Reaching the switchbacks and the steep climbing the wind would come and go, alternating strong on the nose, then a nice push from behind as the directions changed. Soon, reaching the top of the first climb, it was back on the descent to Canyon Lake. Happily there was little traffic on the road, because the only smooth part of the pavement is right along the center line! Reaching the lake, other than a few jet skis playing in the white caps, there was very little boat traffic at the lake.

A few whitecaps on the lake

Another climb and descent just past the marina carries the route past Tortilla Flats. With a full bottle, there was no need to stop and refill, so it was on to the next climb. The route crosses Tortilla Creek, climbs briefly and then descends sharply back to the creek before the last 5 mile climb to the EOP. In the spring the water generally flows over the road, but rarely in the summer/fall.

After last weeks record rainfall of over 5 inches in one day, the Creek was still flowing, but not at the flash flood levels evidenced by the sand on many parts of the road way!

Safe to cross today!

Nice pool on Tortilla Creek

The road turns right and all protection from the wind disappeared and it was a classic 'uphill into the wind' pull to the top!

Note the vegetation

This looks more like April than September!

Just past the EOP on the dirt!

The Garmin read 3 hours 23 minutes to the EOP, 69 minutes of climbing from Tortilla Flats. With the wind, and eager to put it on the tail, there was only time to take a few quick photos and get back on the road. The Garmin recorded a top speed of 53.4 mph on the 15 minute descent back to Tortilla Flats!!!

With both bottles empty, and a vending machine with cold water on the wooden sidewalk at the Mercantile, it was a welcome stop. A new 'fortune telling' machine has been installed nearby, because suddenly, you hear; "Howdy Partner" as a talking head comes to life welcoming passers by to Tortilla Flats. He goes on to say the Flats were named because a group of cowboys were trapped here during a flash flood for weeks with only a sack of flour for provisions. Hence "Tortilla Flats!" For another dollar he will share some more 'history.'

Ready to roll and eager to continue before the typical mid-day wind shift and building heat, it was back on the road for more one short and one longer climb out of the Canyon Lake area.

Nearing the top of the last climb, a sedan appeared in the rearview mirror. Not wanting to get caught behind a car on the twisting descent, I took the lane and hammered over the last few meters and started the descent. The sedan disappeared quickly and did not reappear until the road straightened and leveled out.

The run down Apache Trail went quickly with favorable winds and with one last stop for water at the Dash Inn at Brown Road, it was back into the trailer parks and horse corals that is Apache Junction! The temperature was building, and is typical the morning wind finally started it journey across the compass. Reaching Tempe about an hour later the route turns South for the last 2 miles. One last punch from the snake, the wind was right back on the nose!

Pouring a couple cans of Mountain Dew over ice, stripping of the salty kit, it was into the pool to cool off. Of course; Rocky, Tina, and Rex hate to see anyone swim alone, so add three tennis balls and it was party time!

Very happy Labs

An earlier start would have taken some of the headwind out of the equation, and most of the mid-day heat, but it was well worth the extra suffering to enjoy the football game with Mike and Debby!
Next week, the schedule calls for one or two repeats on the End of the World Hill to check out the equipment on high angle climbs, and then its off to Lone Pine California for the Whitney Classic!

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

After we cancelled the Van Isle 1200 ride/vacation due to temporary priority confusion (work), Deb and I decided we should use the tickets to head to Maui for our vacation. Plus, we could take the new Calfee, test out the S & S Couplers/travel case and I could do a little riding.

I read about this ride years ago and rode it in 2003 on a rental bike during our last Hawaiian vacation. The route; 35 miles with 10,000 feet of climbing is supposed to be the most climbing in the shortest distance of any paved road in the world. It is also the location of the annual Race to the Sun.

A blob of parts in the travel case

Fully assembled Calfee Adventure, enjoying the view toward Molokai

The S & S couplers allow the frame to break into two parts, pull the crank, handlebars, and pedals and into the travel case it goes. Packed, it weighs about 40 pounds and is within the dimension limit for standard air baggage. Not only is it cool, but it saves the $200 fee each way for a standard bike box!
Shortly after our arrival on Saturday, the bike was reassembled, and other than some bar tape that was cut by the bladed spokes in the case (repaired with a little duct tape) the machine was ready to go in about an hour!

I had not picked a day for the ride, but we settled on Monday, since a snorkeling cruise we wanted to take was the following day, and would be a good 'recovery' day. Plus being Labor Day, traffic should be light. I woke before the alarm went off and slipped into the Jeep and drove to the start town of Paia. I parked in the municipal parking lot and was on the road just a few minutes before 0600.

The ride starts in Paia

Fr. Damien Chapel outside Paia

The sun was coming up just as I rode out of town. The town ends quickly, and soon I was surrounded by sugar cane plantations and rolled past the Father Damien Chapel. The road was familiar and the weather was perfect, I didn't even think to check the cue sheet tucked into my bento box.

From here the top is about 30 miles and 9500 feet of climbing away

Riding through the 4-way stop sign in Makawao brings the first steep ramp of the climb, clearing that I passed the rodeo grounds and continued up Olinda Road. The road seemed steeper and rougher than I remembered, but the scenery was interesting, and since the road was still going up, this must be the route. After an hour and a half of climbing, and encountering a Dead End sign, I decided to pull out the cue sheet. DOH! The first turn was 4 miles and 1800 feet down from where I stood. I flipped around and covered the 4 miles back to my missed turn in about 9 minutes!

Roadside wild flowers

At the park turn-off

Back on the correct route, the road was again familiar and I continued on to the general store. Initially I thought it might be an optional stop, but with my 8 mile/50 minute detour, stopped and topped off my bottles and grabbed a Frapachino at the Kula Marketplace.

Normally half of the climbing would be done here

Back on road, the route leaves the trees and heads into the switchbacks. Along the way, the organizers of the Race to the Sun have painted these progress markers on the road. I checked my Garmin at this point and was reminded by my 1,800 foot detour.

Switchbacks!

There are about 24 switchbacks in this section, the traffic and winds were light. As the climbing continued, the clouds rolled in, or rather the route rolled into them! There were not as many 'downhillers' as I remembered from the last ride. In 2003 it seemed another 'string' of them would be around each corner. Maybe it was the time of year, or perhaps because of Park rules that prohibit the downhillers to drop from the very top; but this year there were only a few groups. In fact, I saw more individual riders heading down from the top, than groups of downhillers. The downhillers pile into a van, are driven to the top, check out the crater, hop back in the van and ride back down to the park boundary 10 miles from the top to roll back to Paia.

Park entrance, still 10 miles and 2000 feet to go!

The park entrance is at about 8000 feet, and 10 miles from the summit. I rolled up to the guard station, paid my $5 entry fee and climbed another mile to the visitor center. With both water bottles refilled, I pressed on for the last 9 miles to the top.

Winds were light, and the temperature was dropping, but with the work I was comfortable, but soaked from the humidity in my normal kit. The grade was steady and the vegetation gave way to volcanic cinders. Finally the road straightened out and the summit came back into view. The last 1/3 of a mile feels like its straight up, for an added kick to the summit parking lot. I rolled into the summit shack and found a tourist to take the summit photo.

At the top!

I scurried into summit display hut and plopped on the floor to eat and layer up for the descent. Soaking wet from the work, I pulled on long gloves, skull cap, wind vest, and arm and knee warmers.

Added layers, ready to start the descent

In no time I was bombing down the hill. The few cars I encountered in the park, pulled over and let me pass on the switchbacks! Instantly I was frozen and shivering for the first third of the descent. Breaking back through the clouds I finally warmed up, and with little traffic I was soon at the point of my errant turn at the 8 mile mark. Back in the tropical heat, I stripped off the layers for the last few miles back to Paia.

Back at the Jeep in Paia

6 hours and 20 minutes to reach the top (43 miles) , 1 hour and 14 minutes to reach the bottom(35 miles) since I decided not to repeat my 'bonus detour miles'!

Ride # 2 West Maui Loop

I wasn't planning on this ride, but one of the local websites, said this ride was more impressive than Haleakala Crater. OK, hooked, I convinced Deb, I could cover this one in about 4 hours, starting in the early morning. She could snorkel around the hotel, I would be back in time for a late breakfast, and then we could tour South Maui and catch a massage at the Grand Wailea Spa!

I left the hotel at 0525, before dawn,with my blinking tail light, but wishing I had brought along a headlight. The first 7 miles were a repeat from my shakedown ride, so the road was familiar, and with early morning traffic, there was enough light from the passing cars to follow the fog line until the sky illuminated.

Sunrise on Honolua Bay

Once past the last resort at Kapalua, the traffic disappeared as the dawn neared and the landscape was illuminated with predawn light.

Light traffic, perfect weather

Sunrise on the road

Stunning views of the north side

The route continues with many steep climbs and descents and the road winds around ridges and down into drainages. The views were stunning!

Typical road section, no traffic, fantastic views

Waihee

The 2-3 miles before and after Waihee were on a very steep single lane road. Soon I reached the highest point of the route and started the descent back into the city of Wailuku. After spending several hours in a beautiful rain forest on a coastal road, it was quite the contrast rolling back into 'The City.'

Downtown Wailuku

The route skirts the airport area and heads south. The trade winds really picked up and with a great tailwind and ample bike lane, the miles clicked by very quickly.

Highway 30 Near Maalaea

Back on the coast, it was a relatively flat run back to Lahania. Traffic picked up considerably, but except for a construction zone, the bike lane was smooth and wide.

Olowalu

I rolled back into the Sheraton a little before 0930, just in time to clean up, shower, and meet Debby for breakfast!!

Back at the Sheraton

The local website was right. I would highly recommend this route for an awesome sampler of West Maui!